addressing climate change adaptation in regional transportation plans

systems and estuaries, where bridged crossings will be particularly vulnerable toincreased erosion of support structures, and eventually, to flooding. State Route 1performs a similar function in rural Mendocino County. There too, the roadwayfaces future stress from coastal erosion and may be inundated in lower lying areas.Sea level rise is expected to affect vulnerable populations along the coast throughthe immediate effects of flooding and temporary displacement and longertermeffects of permanent displacement and disruption of local tourism. Somepopulations do not have the resources to prepare for, respond to, and recoverfrom disasters. These populations are vulnerable to temporary and permanentdisplacement, drowning, and property damage, as well as coastal erosion harmingrecreational activities, tourism, and the tourism industry.In addition to causing inundation of built structures and public safety hazards, sealevel rise can affect tourism. In 2000, over 7 percent of the region’s employmentwas dependent on coastal resources (NOEP, 2005), with tourism-based activitiesrepresenting the largest part of this percentage. Preparing for potential impactsof climate change means taking action to preserve the coastal ecosystems thatserve as the tourist attraction. From an ecological perspective, the estuaries atthe mouth of the Smith River, Humboldt Bay, and the mouth of the Eel River areof particular concern.Public Health, Socioeconomic, and Equity ImpactsExtreme heat events are less likely to occur in the North Coast region than inother parts of the state. When they do occur, vulnerable populations may beseverely affected because of a historic lack of adaptive capacity having to do withhistorically milder temperatures. For instance, “low air conditioner ownership”is found along the California coast. Humboldt County has “only medium airconditioner ownership (60-65 percent of the population)” (English et al., 2007).Humboldt County has moderately high proportions of populations eligible forenergy utility financial assistance programs (47 to 55 percent) (English et al., 2007).Households eligible for these programs are an indicator of potential impacts, asthese households may be more at risk of not using cooling appliances, such as airconditioning, due to associated energy costs. Del Norte County has a relativelyhigher poverty level (more than 23 percent), which suggests residents may nothave the material resources needed to prevent, respond, or recover from impacts.Populations that are isolated in some of the rural areas of this region and may nothave the access to care or means necessary to recognize impacts and/or evacuateare at increased risk for injuries and death from burns and smoke inhalation andheat-related illnesses. Mendocino County is one of the state’s counties with thehighest proportion of elderly living alone (English et al., 2007).PAGE 19APG: UNDERSTANDING REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS